The present invention comprises a new and distinct cross-species hybrid within the Lippia genus of the verbena family (Verbenaceae), hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Campagna Verde’.
‘Campagna Verde’ was developed by a controlled crossbreeding, carried out by Hitoshi Kuramochi, between two members of the Lippia genus of the Verbenaceae family, and selection among the resultant progeny for fast growth to cover areas, good tolerance to low temperature, good tolerance to saline conditions, good tolerance to humid and arid conditions, absent or rare production of seeds, good resistance to being trod on, good tolerance to both high and low pH extremes, and strong resistance to disease and pests. The female parent of ‘Campagna Verde’ used in the cross above is a patented member of the Verbenaceae family, ‘S Hitoshi’ (Japan Patent Registration No. 12041), with botanical classification Lippia nodiflora L. The male parent of ‘Campagna Verde’ is wild Lippia, known as ‘Iwadaresou’ and similar to Lippia nodiflora, originating from Nansei-Shoto, Southwestern Islands, Okinawa prefecture, Japan. Although both parents are similar to Lippia nodiflora L., they are distinct species from each other based on morphology and the current crossbreeding. The new hybrid was created during the period 1999-2004, with crossbreeding carried out in May 1999 and selection over the period May 1999 to May 2002, and has been repeatedly asexually reproduced at Utsunomiya University, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, using cuttings and layering over a two-year period. It has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive generations of asexual reproduction.